Adjustable socket wrench

ABSTRACT

A cam action wrench having a gripping handle and a pair of relatively movable jaws, one of which is secured to the gripping handle, the other of which is cammed into engagement with its neighbor. The gripping handle has a hand-engaging end and a jawengaging end, the jaw-engaging end being adapted to receive a jaw member capable of cammed motion relative to and toward the other jaw. The handle is provided with a coarse adjusting member which is coupled to an axially movable jaw, a coupling being utilized to establish the coarse adjustment between the axially movable jaw and the coarse adjusting member. The stationary jaw is preferably provided with a through-bore for receiving the free end of a threaded member upon which a nut is being turned.

United States Patent Joachim E. E'ngel [72] Inventor 10348 York Lane, Bloomington, Minn. 55431 [21] Appl. No. 858,582 [22] Filed Sept. 17, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 12,1971

[54] ADJUSTABLE SOCKET WRENCH 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

52 user .1 81/128 [51] Int. Cl B25b 13/18 50 Field of Search 81/128, 126, 157

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,452,951 4/1923 Barker 81/128 1,492,747 5/1924 Quick 81/128 X FOREIGN PATENTS 431,806 9/1911 France 81/126 18,505 1912 Great Britain 81/126 Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Attorney-Orrin M. Haugen ABSTRACT: A cam action wrench having a gripping handle and a pair of relatively movable jaws, one of which is secured to the gripping handle, the other of which is cammed into engagement with its neighbor. The gripping handle has a handengaging end and a jaw-engaging end, the jaw-engaging end being adapted to receive a jaw member capable of cammed motion relative to and toward the other jaw. The handle is provided with a coarse adjusting member which is coupled to an axially movable jaw, a coupling being utilized to establish the coarse adjustment between the axially movable jaw and the coarse adjusting member. The stationary jaw is preferably provided with a through-bore for receiving the free end of a threaded member upon which a nut is being turned.

PATENTED BET 1 ZIQYI 3,611,843

sum 1 OF 2 INVENTOR JOACH/M E. ENGEL ADJUSTABLE SOCKET WRENCH The present invention relates generally to a cam action wrench, and more particularly to a cam action wrench which has a pair of relatively movable jaws coupled to a gripping handle, one jaw being mounted for cammed motion relative to both the other jaw and the gripping handle. In other words, one jaw is mounted for both coarse adjustment and cammed forced axial motion relative to the other jaw and the gripping handle. The wrench structure provides a system by which force is increased between the jaw members as additional torque is being applied to the gripping handle.

Cam action wrenches are desirable whenever nuts are being tamed which may have surfaces incapable of being turned by conventional wrenches. In addition, the structure is adjustable in order to provide a wrench which is usable over a wide range of nut and bolt sizes, and has a jaw which is disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the gripping handle. Both square and hexagonal nuts may be turned with this structure.

Briefly, the cam action wrench of the present invention comprises a gripping handle having a pair of jaws, one of which is movable relative to the other, these jaws being coupled to one end of the wrench. The jaws include a pivotally movable jaw which is secured to the handle through a bifurcated portion formed in the other jaw, the pivotally movable jaw being capable of being cammed against the other jaw in a direction axially toward the other jaw. As a feature of this cam action wrench, a through-bore is provided in order to receive the threaded member upon which the nut is being turned. One further feature includes a spring-loaded ball and detent which in utiliwcd to normally hold the jaws in general axial alignment with the gripping handle axis.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cam action wrench which includes a pair of relatively movable jaws, the jaws being capable of receiving a coarse adjustment, one to another, and being capable of cammed axial motion toward one another, the motion being applied by a force which increases as the torque being applied to the wrench increases.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved cam action wrench which is provided with a pair of relatively movable jaws, the jaws being capable of receiving either square or hexagonal nuts, and being further provided with a through-bore for accommodating the free end of a threaded member upon which the nut is being turned.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved cam action wrench which is provided with a pair of relatively movable jaws, one of the jaws being coupled to a coarse adjusting lug which utilizes cam action to be moved toward the other.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view in exploded configuration, illustrating all of the component parts utilized in connection with the preferred modification of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In accordance with the preferred modification of the present invention, the cam action wrench generally designated includes a gripping handle 11 along with a first jaw member 12 which is coupled directly to the handle 11, and a second jaw 13 which is slidably engaged with the jaw 12. The wrench further includes an internally threaded member 14 having a knurled external surface with a rear abutment or cam following surface, the member 14 having a resilient spring member 15 disposed about a forward shank area thereof. Coarse adjustment member 16, externally threaded, is adapted to engage the rear of jaw 13 in order to provide a coarse adjustment of the individual jaw members 12 and 13.

In order to provide for axial motion, the tip 17 of the threaded member 16 is provided with a flat or keyed surface in order to assure axial motion without pivotal rotation.

In order to mount the jaw 12'onto the gripping handle 11, locking screw 18 is provided along with nut 19 which is threadably engaged with the threaded tip portion of screw 18. In addition, in order to assure appropriate axial alignment of 5 the jaw 12 with the gripping handle 11, resiliently biased cylinder 20 is provided for seating in the bore, shown in handle 11, along with the resilient spring member 21. The inner face of the flange of the bifurcated portion of the free end of jaw 12 is provided with a detent cavity 22 which seats the member 20 in position.

With particular attention being directed to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the gripping handle 11 is provided with a cam surface 24 which is adapted to engage the cam follower abutment surface 25 of the externally knurled member 14. The purpose of this will be made manifest later.

In order to utilize the cam action wrench of the present invention, the user will place the jaws about the surface of the member to be turned, and the internally threaded member 14 will be rotated so as to move the jaws l2 and 13 into substantial gripping engagement with the member being turned. At that time, the user will apply torque, as required, to the gripping handle in order to more firmly engage the surfaces of the member being turned. As this torque increases, the jaws 12 and 13 shift or rotate pivotally relative to the gripping handle 11,jaw 12 pivoting about member 18, while jaw 13 which pivots with jaw 12 is pivoted about the same member. Since the member 18 couples the jaw 12 to the gripping handle at an axial point removed from cam surface 24, the arcuate rotation of the jaws will be accompanied by an axial movement of the jaw 13 in a direction toward the jaw 12. This is due to the fact that the radius of the surface 24 is greater than the distance between the cam surface 24 and the axis of member 18.

The structure is significant in that as torque is being applied to the jaws by means of the gripping handle, the force urging the jaws 12 and 13 together is increased as the pivotal rotation of the jaws relative to the gripping handle increases. In operation, therefore, as the torque increases, the force urging the jaws together will similarly increase.

It will be appreciated that the force urging the jaws l2 and 13 together is applied through cam surface 24 and cam follower surface 25. Various modifications of this camming system may be employed or used by those skilled in the art.

Whenever the free end of the threaded member upon which this wrench is being utilized extends a substantial distance, the slotted configuration of jaw 12 permits this threaded member to pass through the slotted opening in order that the wrench may be suitably employed without damaging the edges of the bolt or nut being turned.

I claim:

1. A cam action wrench comprising a gripping handle and a pair of relatively movable jaws in axial extension with said gripping handle with the jaws being coupled to said gripping handle in pivotal relationship therewith, pivot point means including a pivot shaft disposed in said gripping handle and being located adjacent one end thereof, the jaws being disposed in mutually opposed relationship, one to another,

a. said relatively movable jaws including first and second jaw members with the first jaw member having an extension shank portion secured to said pivot shaft and with laterally disposed slide means on either side thereof and in guiding contact with the lateral outside edges of said second jaw member and with said second jaw member being disposed therebetween, the second jaw member having a cooperating lateral slide means portion confined within said shank portion, said slide means maintaining said jaws in adjustable parallel axial disposition, one to another; b. threaded coarse adjustment means including:

1. jaw abutment means having an externally threaded shank and being coupled to said second jaw at one end thereof and locked against rotation relative to said second jaw; and

2. a cam follower means having an internally threaded bore for receiving said threaded shank at one end thereof and having a cam follower surface arranged at the other end thereof with rotation of said cam follower means moving said jaw abutment means axially toward and away from said first jaw means, said jaw abutment means being movable along the axis of said wrench and being operatively coupled to cam means with the jaw abutment means controlling movement of said second jaw along the axis of said wrench; and c. cam means arranged along the end of said gripping handle and disposed outwardly of said pivot shaft and arranged to abut said cam follower surface, said cam means moving said second jaw member outwardly when the elongated axis of said handle means is angularly disposed to the axis of said jaws. 2. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said slide means controls the relative motion of said jaws along two coordinates of planes.

3. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that the nut-receiving axis of said jaws is disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the axis of said gripping handle.

4. The cam action wrench as defined in claim I being particularly characterized in that said jaws are arranged to grippingly receive the periphery of internally threaded nuts having four or six sides.

5. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that a spring-biased plunger means is provided in said gripping handle, and cooperating detent means are provided in said first jaw member, with the plunger and detent mating when the elongated axis of said jaws is disposed in continuation with the elongated axis of said handle means. 

1. A cam action wrench comprising a gripping handle and a pair of relatively movable jaws in axial extension with said gripping handle with the jaws being coupled to said gripping handle in pivotal relationship therewith, pivot point means including a pivot shaft disposed in said gripping handle and being located adjacent one end thereof, the jaws being disposed in mutually opposed relationship, one to another, a. said relatively movable jaws including first and second jaw members with the first jaw member having an extension shank portion secured to said pivot shaft and with laterally disposed slide means on either side thereof and in guiding contact with the lateral outside edges of said second jaw member and with said second jaw member being disposed therebetween, the second jaw member having a cooperating lateral slide means portion confined within said shank portion, said slide means maintaining said jaws in adjustable parallel axial disposition, one to another; b. threaded coarse adjustment means including:
 1. jaw abutment means having an externally threaded shank and being coupled to said second jaw at one end thereof and locked against rotation relative to said second jaw; and
 2. a cam follower means having an internally threaded bore for receiving said threaded shank at one end thereof and having a cam follower surface arranged at the other end thereof with rotation of said cam follower means moving said jaw abutment means axially toward and away from said first jaw means, said jaw abutment means being movable along the axis of said wrench and being operatively coupled to cam means with the jaw abutment means controlling movement of said second jaw along the axis of said wrench; and c. cam means arranged along the end of said gripping handle and disposed outwardly of said pivot shaft and arranged to abut said cam follower surface, said cam means moving said second jaw member outwardly when the elongated axis of said handle means is angularly disposed to the axis of said jaws.
 2. a cam follower means having an internally threaded bore for receiving said threaded shank at one end thereof and having a cam follower surface arranged at the other end thereof with rotation of said cam follower means moving said jaw abutment means axially toward and away from said first jaw means, said jaw abutment means being movable along the axis of said wrench and being operatively coupled to cam means with the jaw abutment means controlling movement of said second jaw along the axis of said wrench; and c. cam means arranged along the end of said gripping handle and disposed outwardly of said pivot shaft and arranged to abut said cam follower surface, said cam means moving said second jaw member outwardly when the elongated axis of said handle means is angularly disposed to the axis of said jaws.
 2. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said slide means controls the relative motion of said jaws along two coordinates of planes.
 3. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that the nut-receiving axis of said jaws is disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the axis of said gripping handle.
 4. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said jaws are arranged to grippingly receive the periphery of internally threaded nuts having four or six sides.
 5. The cam action wrench as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that a spring-biased plunger means is provided in said gripping handle, and cooperating detent means are provided in said first jaw member, with the plunger and detent mating when the elongated axis of said jaws is disposed in continuation with the elongated axis of said handle means. 